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Heading north out of Ullapool the road climbs a long hill and on reaching the top the precipitous descent down the other side of the hill reminds me of a big dipper. On reaching the bottom the road turns sharply to the right, meanders up another hill before eventually descending into Ardmair.
On first descending into Ardmair I was stunned by seeing the massive bulk of Coigach looming up before me, I felt it had an overpowering presence and I still get this feeling each time I come to this place. Coigach has several peaks running north of here but the only one visible from here, Ben Mór Coigach, is the highest at 743 metres.
Ardmair is an unusual beach in normal conditions, but here, half covered in snow, with Aird na h-Eighe behind me, it makes for a striking foreground as it sweeps the eye smoothly round to Coigach. What makes the beach unusual is that it consists solely of flat stones that are about 25cm across and about 2cm thick at the top of the beach, but they gradually get smaller and thinner as the beach descends down into Loch Kanaird.
On the left hand side of this image it is just possible to make out Isle Martin as it projects about one third of the way into the image. In the summer Ardmair is a popular place with visitors as they can park their car next to the beach and enjoy a pleasant sunny and warm day relaxing and exploring. It was sunny when I took this image, but it was very far from being warm!
North-west Highland Place Names
The landscape of the North-west Highlands and the Gaelic language are intimately connected. Other languages have contributed to the richness of our place names, notably Norse, but the North-west Highlands have for centuries been a Gaelic landscape. In listing the meanings of place names I have relied on authoritative sources wherever possible. For further information about sources please refer to North-west Highland Place Names in the main menu.
Aird na h-Eighe; Gaelic; written by Professor Watson as Ard na h-Eigheamh, meaning ‘promontory of shouting’ (for the ferry boat to Isle Martin).
Ardmair; In Gaelic it is Ard Mhèara - ‘finger promontory’.
Ben Mór Coigach; The highest Coigach peak, see Coigach.
Coigach; From Watson’s book the Gaelic name is a’ Chóigeach meaning ‘the place of fifths. Division of land into fifths was a common and ancient Celtic practice, the best known fifths being the five fifths of Erin – cóig cóigimh na h-Eirinn. Tradition makes the five-fifths of Coigach to have been Achnahaird, Achlochan, Acheninver, Achabhraighe, and Achduart – the five Ach’s, na cóig achaidean, and this is the local derivation of the name.
Isle Martin; Gaelic is Eilean Mhartainn; a burial place in it is called Cladh Eilein Mhartainn. Although Professor Watson does not provide an explanation for the name of this place, he does indicate with regard to other place names containing the martin root that they were named after St Martin of Tours. However this idea must remain uncertain in the case of Isle Martin until some evidence can be found to confirm it.
Loch Kanaird; Gaelic Loch Cainneart from the Norse kann-fjörðr, Can-firth. The Can was doubtless the broch, now ruinous, near the entrance to the loch on its western side, called still Dun Canna, in English Dun Can.
Ullapool; Gaelic is Ullabul derived from the Norse Ulli-bólstaðr meaning ‘Ulli’s stead’.
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